It’s kind of funny that I was randomly handed this issue by a co-worker because after stumbling across the second American Vampire graphic novel at work one day, I [...]]]>

Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

It’s kind of funny that I was randomly handed this issue by a co-worker because after stumbling across the second American Vampire graphic novel at work one day, I was thoroughly intrigued by this series. I only ever found the second volume, however, so I never read any of the American Vampire series. It was quite a stroke of luck that I was given this particular issue, therefore, since it’s the beginning of a new storyline.

Now, I’m not really into vampires; even as a kid and horror movie fan aficionado, vampires kind of bored me. It’s just hard to make them seem new and fresh (right now, zombies are suffering from the same sort of uninteresting malaise in pop culture) but Snyder managed to invigorate the vampire myth and catch my interest.

American Vampire #22 is one of the best comic book issues I’ve read in a long time. It has excellent writing, intriguing and believable characters, suspense and horror, and a thoroughly gripping cliffhanger of an ending. Now, like I said, I haven’t read anything else in the American Vampire series so I have absolutely no background in its universe and previous incarnations. Based on some other reviews I read, there’s obviously a lot more history to this world that what I read. Nonetheless, Snyder managed to craft a story with just enough exposition for a new reader and enough hints for those familiar with this universe. His talent is even more apparent here than in his fabulous work with Swamp Thing, which I also clearly love. He’s definitely ranking as my favorite writer right now.

I’d rather not give too much of the plot away as one of the joys of this issue was losing yourself in the story and experiencing the awesome “gotcha!” moments. Suffice it to say, American Vampire #22 takes place in 1950s Southwest America, starring a leather jacket wearing, pompadour sporting 19-year-old Travis Kidd. He’s a teenage smartass and he is definitely not at all that he seems to be. Snyder, if anything, excelled as injecting fresh ideas into what could have been stereotypical 1950s archetypes: the teenage rebel, the poodle skirt wearing good girl, her angry parents, etc. No one is what they appear to be and nothing is straightforward in this issue. America itself is a strange and dangerous place and Kidd must always stay on his toes in order to survive.

My one complaint with this issue was the use of Kidd’s “girlfriend,” Piper. Snyder unfortunately fell into Women in Refrigerators syndrome by having Piper as merely a spectating catalyst for the action and conflict in this issue. She never actually did anything and Snyder purposely portrays her as having absolutely no agency. She only serves as an object to push the plot in a certain direction and motivate Kidd towards action. I was sorely disappointed by this and am hoping that she develops much more as a character in this arc.

I did thoroughly enjoy the art by Albuquerque and McCaig’s coloring. Albuquerque’s art had a very fast and active feel to it, which definitely highlighted the plot and Kidd’s own “live fast die young” attitude. Meanwhile, McCaig’s coloring drew on 1950s advertising and illustrations by using bright, stark colors. He deftly used lighting in realistic ways to color the scenes that took place at night, as well.

Well, after just one issue I’m definitely hooked on American Vampire. Now I just have to run out and purchase the graphic novels, along with the rest of this four-part run.

Series: Yes, part one of The Promise series
Genre(s): Comics/Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Release Date: 7 February 2012
Available Formats: Trade Paperback
Description: The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of [...]]]> Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise Part One by Gene Luen Yang, art by Gurihiru

Series: Yes, part one of The Promise series
Genre(s): Comics/Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Release Date: 7 February 2012
Available Formats: Trade Paperback
Description: The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, its millions of fans have been hungry for more – and it”s finally here! Think of it as Book (season) Four of Avatar! This series rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a face-off against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang’s powers and ingenuity! Written by National Book Award Nominee Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese), in close collaboration with series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, this is the story that Avatar lovers have been clamoring for, as well as a perfect jumping-on point for new fans!

This review is based on a copy received from NetGalley.

TDF Pamela’s Review:

I was late to the game when it came to the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon. My friends had been telling me to watch it for ages, but I finally got around to Netflixing it last year. And man, am I hooked. I have to stop myself from compulsively rewatching it.

So I was VERY excited to hear about The Promise, a three part graphic novel series that will bridge the gap between the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender and the upcoming series set in the same world, The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra. I’ve also heard great things about Gene Luen Yang and have been meaning to read American Born Chinese for ages. So Part One is awesome for me: I get to indulge my desire for more Avatar stories, and I get to check out Yang’s writing.

Suffice to say, I was not disappointed at all in The Promise Part One. The story picks up not long after the end of the series, with new Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang attempting to find a solution to the Fire Nation colonies that will keep the Fire Nation people happy and also keep the Earth Nation protesters from smashing the colony cities with giant boulders.

The storyline is great, focusing on Zuko’s difficulties in ruling the Fire Nation and trying to not turn into his father along with Aang’s reluctance to keep his promise to Zuko that he would take Zuko down if his friend ever started to act like Fire Lord Ozai. As part one of a trilogy, the plot is mostly concerned with setting up the conflict for parts two and three, which is okay. It’ll leave you frustrated at the end, because part two won’t be out for how many more months?! But it is alternately serious and funny, much like the television series, and Yang has the characterizations spot on. Toph and Sokka in particular made me laugh out loud a few times.

The artwork works really well, too; it’s like the artist has taken the fluid animation of the series and distilled it down into still images that still somehow manage to capture the motion and grace of the cartoon. I love the subtle aging in the young characters; they still look much like they did in the series, but you can see that they’re taller, a bit more developed, a bit more adult-like in their expressions. They’re still teenagers, still young and trying to find their place in this new world, but you can see the seeds of maturity in them.

Click to embiggen

My only complaint? Aang and Katara constantly calling each other “sweetie.” But luckily, the other characters are as uncomfortable with the cutesy pet name and rib the couple incessantly. So it’s not really a complaint, but more of a high-five to Sokka for making fun of them for doing it. ;)

Everything looks great, and this really feels like a solid continuation of the series. I can’t wait to read the next two parts.

Preorder:

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Comicsgirl
Nerds on the Rocks
Racebending

Finally, a step in the right direction. I am very happy to say, it is a vast improvement over both my previous DC comic experience and Catwoman #1.

Even after reading the offensive, insulting, embarrassing and just plain poorly done Catwoman #1, I was willing to give this series another shot. I am always reluctant to give up on a series [...]]]>

Cover by Guillem March

Even after reading the offensive, insulting, embarrassing and just plain poorly done Catwoman #1, I was willing to give this series another shot. I am always reluctant to give up on a series after one issue (I’m willing to be painfully disappointed after at least five issues) so when I saw the cover for Catwoman #2, I took a deep breath, tried not to cringe and picked it up.

Then I read it.

I am just so, so very disappointed in this re-launch. It’s everything I could possibly hate in a comic book wrapped up in issues starring one of my absolute favorite characters. It hurts; it honestly hurts.

It’s like Winick just wants to see how long he can go crafting a Catwoman story that spits in the faces of all of her fans before someone at DC stops him on his mad quest. Has anyone at DC even read this before printing it? Are there seriously no women at DC who could read this and at least raise an eyebrow in polite disgust? It’s also upsetting because men are smart too and if the average guy I’ve talked to about this series also found it offensive and incredibly weak, then some dude at DC MUST have the cognitive thought process to see this as well. WHAT’S HAPPENING OVER THERE?!

Okay, so the front cover is just Batman and Catwoman kissing mid-air. Stupid, but not inherently bad. I let that slide. Then I turned to the front page. Batman and Catwoman sprawled half-naked post-coitus (as a co-worker politely described it). I cringed for about a minute straight. Have you ever, in your travels on the internet, accidentally wandered across some really graphic fanart depicting like beloved characters from childhood? Remember that shuddery feeling of disgust and incredible sadness? That’s how I felt reading Catwoman #2. The title should have just been Catwoman #2: Rule 34.

Following this post-sexual non-glow, Catwoman engages in some barely interesting thievery of a Russian painting purely to piss off the Russian mob and set the different factions against one another. The awful thing about this plot is that it could have been interesting. Winick could have perfectly illustrated the kleptomaniac-side of Catwoman and the fact that she simply steals for stealing’s sake. It could have been so great to see Catwoman as something other than a sexual object that just happens to steal because that’s how Batman notices her.

It could have been so much more. But instead I was given a flat, one-dimensional, uninteresting, embarrassing and frankly depressing Catwoman. Also, at one point, she dressed up like this:

I can’t. I JUST CAN’T.

Then there’s some graphic violence against women that occurs and it’s totally unnecessary and I just want to give up on this series. I go into reading a comic knowing I’m probably going to have to meet it halfway. Well I met this one halfway and it just decided to turn around and walk in the opposite direction, right after giving me the finger.

I know this post is in essence a fangirl rant but for a comic as awful and sexist as this one, I deserve a chance to just rail. I highly doubt I am going to pick up the next issue unless I really feel self-loathing that day. We’ll have to wait and see.

Series: No
Genre(s): Comics/Graphic Novel, Erotic, Steampunk, Romance, Victorian
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Available Formats: Hardcover Graphic Novel
Description: 1885: an age of industrial revolution and sexual frustration. Pricilla is a woman with needs, and her inventor husband [...]]]> This review contains a NSFW image!

Chester 5000 XYV by Jess Fink

Series: No
Genre(s): Comics/Graphic Novel, Erotic, Steampunk, Romance, Victorian
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Available Formats: Hardcover Graphic Novel
Description: 1885: an age of industrial revolution and sexual frustration. Pricilla is a woman with needs, and her inventor husband Robert is a little too busy with his experiments to keep her fully satisfied. Science to the rescue! With a few gears and springs, the proper appendages, a little lubrication, and a lot of love, Chester 5000 is born! He’s the perfect tool for the job… but what if Chester is more than just a machine? What are the consequences of trying to engineer love?

A vintage delight for adult readers of all stripes, Jess Fink’s Top Shelf debut reads like a whimsical love-child of steampunk, silent film and erotic comics.

CHESTER 5000: Because sometimes love comes with detachable body parts.

– A deluxe 144-page hardcover graphic novel, 6.5″ x 7.5″, FOR ADULTS ONLY

This review is based on a copy received from the publisher.

TDF Pamela’s Review:

I first read Chester 5000 XYV a year or so ago at Jess Fink’s website, where it started its life as an adult webcomic. I absolutely loved it then, and I nearly leapt for joy when the hardcover bound version arrived in the mail. Even the second time around, I enjoyed the hell out of it.

How exactly can I describe Chester 5000 XYV? It would be easy to say that it is Victorian robot porn. And it is, but Fink manages to make the story emotional and sweet while still making the artwork explicitly sexy. And explicit it is! Keep a fan handy, because you’re going to need it.

Fink’s artwork is gracefully explicit. She creates a heightened sense of arousal and emotion by exaggerating body parts and positions, and I think it’s extremely effective as well as very pretty to look at. I particularly like how she uses elements of the characters’ clothing or hair to frame panels in a very organic sort of way.

Click for full size.

The story is pretty simple, and it’s simply told without any dialogue aside from the occasional “♥!” to express a particularly awesome moment of pleasure. The simplicity of the story and the storytelling method, though, allows emotion to take center stage. Priscilla is a very sexual woman who feels neglected and unloved by her husband. Chester 5000 is just a robot, but at the same time, he is more capable of love and devotion than his human creator. It was fascinating to watch Priscilla and Chester fall for each other, and to watch her husband Robert come to realize exactly what’s missing in his own heart.

The dialogue-less storytelling does bring to mind silent film, and I think that works perfectly with the setting of the comic. It reminds me of a more mature version of Victorian dirty drawings (I tried to Google that to illustrate my point. You don’t want to know the stuff I found instead.), meant to titillate all of its readers, male and female, rather than just men (who in my head smoke cigars while looking at the drawings and say things like, “I say, I’d like to tip the velvet into her crinkum-crankum!”).

Chester 5000 XYV is a beautifully drawn, elegantly told story. If you like sexy in your comics but are tired of just superhero T&A, give Jess Fink’s graphic novel a try.

Buy It Now:
From Top Shelf Productions | From Amazon.com

Reviews Elsewhere
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Burnaway
Ian Terrell

Yikes.

At this point, I’m not even sure what I can say about this comic without A) echoing what others have said before me or B) ranting and ranting until I pull out all [...]]]>

Cover by Guillem March

Yikes.

At this point, I’m not even sure what I can say about this comic without A) echoing what others have said before me or B) ranting and ranting until I pull out all my hair in frustration and collapse in a fit of well-placed anger.

Before I got a hold of Catwoman #1, I had already heard negative things about it from co-workers, friends and Laura Hudson’s fabulous article over at Comics Alliance. Even Comic Book Resources, which I have clashed with in the past, gave it a scathing review.

But, I knew that it was unfair of me to simply take the word of other people without reading Catwoman #1 myself. I knew I had to give it a shot and try not to let the opinions of others color my reaction to it. Now, you can probably argue that this was an impossible feat and I walked into Catwoman #1 totally biased. As a feminist and a Catwoman fan, however, I know my reaction to this comic would have been exceedingly similar even if I had read it blindly.

Catwoman #1 opens with a gigantic red flag for anyone even remotely versed in feminist theory. This is the first page.

Answer two questions for me please: 1) What do we see here? 2) What do we NOT see here?

If you had trouble figuring out my train of thought, we don’t see Selina Kyle’s face at all. We only get cut-out images of her body; in fact, her body is served to us in parts: her chest in the first panel, her arms and of course, chest in the second and then an almost fully-body in the last. She is dissected, essentially.

With this first page alone, I immediately thought back to one of the preeminent and extremely influential feminist essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” by Laura Mulvey (see note below). I’ve read and referenced this article numerous times (it can be found in its entirety here and I highly recommend it). Though her focus is on cinema, her arguments can be applied anywhere, even comic books. Mulvey argues that in visual narratives, the overall appeal is the pleasure of looking, or scopophilia, and taking over the object of the gaze and controlling it (37). Furthermore, the object of this controlling gaze is typically passive female while the bearer of the gaze is active male (39).

“In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness,” Mulvey argued (40). “Women displayed as sexual object is the leitmotif of erotic spectacle: from pin-ups to strip-tease…she holds the look, and plays to and signifies male desire.”

Bingo. We have a feminist framework to work with this extremely embarrassing and offensive comic.

Mulvey’s arguments are actively at play here in this comic, from the overt sexuality of Catwoman (written decidedly not as self-fulfilling but rather as a desperate ploy) to the literal presentation of her as a woman. She is her body and correspondingly, simply an object of desire and nothing more, Winick and March seem to think. There is nothing more dynamic or deep or even real about Selina Kyle; there is only her sexuality, which she uses as a weapon.

I am fully aware that Selina Kyle has always been a very sexual character and I also understand that she does use this to her advantage. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I really don’t mind if a woman wants to portray herself sexually if she chooses to; it’s not my style but hey, whatever works for you.

I only take umbrage if this is all there is to her. And based on Winick’s writing of Selina’s narration, there is nothing more to her. She never considers any other way of life, never seeks out different solutions to problems or even sees herself as anything else but a sex object. It was depressing.

When Catwoman is written well, she is amazing. She’s one of the most interesting and dynamic characters in the Batman universe. As a feminist and a genuine Catwoman fan, I take massive affront to this superficial, lackluster and frankly exploitative re-launch of a truly great character.

She wasn’t even given an interesting storyline: some bad guys break into her apartment, she crashes a den of Russian mobsters and prostitutes and then has sex with Batman. There was no conflict, no tension, and no true insight into her as a character. Instead, it felt that the entire comic was simply leading up to the embarrassing and unnecessary sex scene. Again, I have no problem with the idea of Batman and Catwoman having sex (and some could argue that it’s empowering that Catwoman is the one doing the seducing but that’s not enough for me to forgive the rest of the comic) but I wonder just what was gained by the inclusion of this scene. It didn’t really add to the plot; was it just for titillation? If so, then Winick is a much weaker writer than previously feared.

I also found March’s art severely lacking. The anatomy was ridiculous and rather grotesque and while there were some cool aerial perspectives of Gotham, it all felt rather fanarty, especially that shudder-worthy sex scene.

I’m thoroughly disappointed in this comic and find it very troubling. I sincerely hope that this is not a hint of things to come for DC. I can only find comfort in the fact that so many others also found Catwoman #1 deplorable.

Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Feminism and Film. Ed. E. Ann Kaplan. New York: Oxford U P, 2000. 34-47. Print.

Okay, I admit it freely and openly.

I really like Matt Fraction’s The Mighty Thor series. Little by little, it’s been obviously growing on [...]]]>

Cover by Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales, Laura Martin

Okay, I admit it freely and openly.

I really like Matt Fraction’s The Mighty Thor series. Little by little, it’s been obviously growing on me and my reaction to this issue is a far cry from my first one back in July (though my feelings on Thor’s romantic strategies remain unchanged).

Fraction has managed to craft a thoroughly gripping and engaging story, along with believable and likeable characters and epic battle scenes. There’s also plenty of humor and action without feeling lowbrow at all. Also, Thor did not make stupid references to how much he wants to have sex so that was a plus. Of course, Thor was very busy locked in a cosmic battle with Odin, Galactus and the Silver Surfer so I guess when he’s not fighting in battles, he’ll be back to making leeringly sexual suggestions to Sif. That seems to be his basic character.

Anyway, the plot is progressing towards an epic showdown between gods, cosmic beings and confused and frightened Oklahomans. Things are about to get real, if the final page as Galactus’ image looms over the Broxton horizon ominously is any indication. One of the things that I have so enjoyed about Fraction’s run on The Mighty Thor is how he handles crossing over Asgard with middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma. These two extremely different environments are key settings for this series and what’s more, they affect one another in crucial ways. Fraction manages to balance the two distinct environments and their residents without making them feel isolated. What happens in Asgard directly affects Broxton and vice versa. To watch the citizens of each setting react to the increasingly dangerous conflicts occurring is just as much fun as the actual conflict itself.

Like I said, there are epic battle scenes in this issue, beautifully rendered by Coipel and Pham. I was particularly impressed by Thor’s battle with the Silver Surfer on the surface of Mars. Each panel, however, was very strong and intricately detailed. The universe presented to us in The Mighty Thor series feels very real and tangible, though it is one of the more far-fetched comics I’ve read lately, what with the epic battles in the middle of space.

Finally, there’s young Loki, who clearly has his own agenda in the middle of all these fights and quests for power and godhood. His purpose and agenda is still a little ambiguous but since he’s Loki, the god of mischief, what else could you expect? Fraction imbues him a great sense of trickery that I feel was missing from the film (though I did enjoy Tom Hiddleston and am greatly looking forward to his role in the upcoming Avengers film). This is a Loki that is too busy being up to no good to lament his father’s lack of love or his cooler older brother. I like this Loki.

I’m very excited for the next issue and to see what surprises Fraction has up his sleeve for this showdown. I’ve got extremely high expectations so he better not disappoint. At the very least, I want an awesome Silver Surfer scene. And no stupid sex comments.

Like hundreds of other DC fans yesterday, I rushed out to my local comic book store and stocked up on several of the New 52. Also like hundreds of DC [...]]]>

Cover by Adam Hughes

Like hundreds of other DC fans yesterday, I rushed out to my local comic book store and stocked up on several of the New 52. Also like hundreds of DC fans, I all but devoured Batgirl #1, written by the illustrious Gail Simone and penciled by Ardian Syaf.

There has been a lot of speculation and controversy surrounding the re-launch of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, mostly because after over 20 years as the wheelchair-bound Oracle, Barbara can now walk, leap and pummel bad guys. There’s been a really mixed and wary reaction from fans to this change, with some actually outraged that DC is abandoning one of the few disabled comic book characters out there. The loss of Oracle is quite a blow to diversity but it’s also a lot more than that.

I also had (and still do have) very mixed feelings about Barbara’s return as Batgirl. I truly love her as a character in general (she is one of the absolute best things about the Batman canon and a very inspirational female character for me) and while I always had a weakness for Barbara-as-Batgirl comics, I also found Batgirl-as-Oracle an extremely engaging and dynamic character. She was in a wheelchair but that wasn’t the sum of her; if anything, she was even more powerful and influential than Batman because as Oracle, she is the eyes and ears of all of Gotham City. She knows what’s happening, where it’s happening, when it’s happening and without her, Batman would essentially be blind. I truly love Oracle and I am very sad to see her go.

But this entry is not supposed to be waxing poetically on the loss of a character. I read Batgirl #1 (very, very quickly) last night and have had some time to think about it. And… I really don’t know how I feel.

Simone did a solid job (as always) in crafting Barbara’s voice and characterization. I have always found Barbara more real than anyone else in the Batman canon (and in most comic books in general) so it was a definite pleasure to just have an entire book focused on her. The plot moved a little quickly in terms of the new villain (the Mirror) and ends in a cliffhanger, the entire purpose of which is further illustrate Barbara’s struggle with returning to the cape and cowl.

This leads me to the most surprising aspect of this comic. The attack on Barbara by the Joker and subsequent shooting that famously occurred in Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke was referenced a couple times in this book. This issue apparently takes place roughly three years after the home invasion and after, by some unnamed miracle, Barbara was able to regain use of her formerly paralyzed legs. I was not expecting Simone to bring The Killing Joke into the re-launch though I suppose it makes sense and adds a certain new depth into Barbara’s characterization. She is not as brazen as she once was as Batgirl and is still struggling with the trauma of her attack.

When I first heard that Barbara was returning as Batgirl, I had assumed that the memory of The Killing Joke was going to be wiped away and we were going to return to a pre-Killing Joke era. I was frankly pretty happy about this idea, as I had always found the attack scene in which the Joker shoots Barbara extremely repugnant. I love Oracle and have no issue with the concept of Barbara being paralyzed; I simply felt that the manner in which Moore handled it was tasteless. I still suspect that he never had any respect for Barbara as a character and simply wrote her off in an extremely crass way, most likely not expecting that she would be transformed into an even stronger and more significant character because of this.

But Simone used this 23-year-old storyline and simply messed around with it. She was shot, yes but guess what, not paralyzed anymore! Of course, Barbara is still psychologically damaged and even her body still needs to be worked on now that she’s back in the vigilante game. I sincerely hope that Simone does not dwell too much on these apparent weaknesses at the cost of Barbara’s inherent strength and personal confidence. One of the things I’ve always loved about Barbara was how self-assured she always was and while I think having comic book heroes have their share of suffering is important, I don’t want Barbara to drown in it.

Overall, the book was a pretty solid beginning to this new series. Simone gave the reader a touchingly familiar Batgirl who is dealing with new problems and a new, extremely creepy villain. The art by Syaf was pretty traditional by comic book standards but was probably at its best during the three action sequences. He did a great job portraying motion without overwhelming the reader. I know I’ll keep reading this series for several reasons, the least of which is to find out more about the Mirror. I mostly will keep reading because of my overwhelming love for Barbara Gordon.

Black Canary was one of my favorite discoveries while watching Justice League Unlimited and I have been sadly bereft of Black Canary-centered comics. All [...]]]>

Cover by Trevor von Eeden

Black Canary was one of my favorite discoveries while watching Justice League Unlimited and I have been sadly bereft of Black Canary-centered comics. All of my previous experience with Black Canary featured her in a group or couple setting. She was either an important member of the Birds of Prey or the serious, rock steady girlfriend of Green Arrow. She was never particularly funny but she definitely played the “straight man” role a lot of the time. Therefore, I was surprised by how gritty this issue was. Byam emphasized the serious ramifications of being a superhero for Black Canary; she was troubled, not averse to violence and extremely serious about the job at hand. I liked it.

I’m still not sure how I feel about the way in which gender was handled in this issue. A part of me found it refreshing that Dinah was very much aware of her gender and yet did not dwell on a sense of Otherness. Yet I was also concerned by the very same fact that she DID draw attention to her identity as female. As a feminist comic book fan, I am still struggling with my own understandings of what it means to be equal or even taken seriously and also be female in comic book worlds. Does equality = gender neutrality; a complete lack of attention paid to gender differences? Or, is it in fact found in an emphasis on difference and a corresponding empowerment through this? In other words, should Wonder Woman celebrate the fact that she is a woman or simply ignore it and get the job done?

This is an issue that has plagued feminists for many, many years and we are no closer to an universal answer. If anything, the only answer we can seem to agree one is that there is no one correct way to achieve equality or be a feminist. What I find empowering, another woman may find demeaning and that’s all right. The important thing is that we have the choice to decide these things for ourselves.

It’s also difficult simply because in comic books, gender is so intrinsically linked to identity. Look at the titles bestowed upon our heroes: Iron Man, Batgirl, The Huntress, She-Hulk, Superman. Gendered binaries are unavoidable in comic books. Of course, there are awesome characters that have completely neutral names and therefore, the titles can be taken on by multiple characters of different genders (the Question and even Robin in The Dark Knight Returns immediately come to mind).

Black Canary, however, will probably always be a woman because of the feminizing implications of the word “canary”. It’s a girly bird, apparently, unlike Hawkeye; who, interestingly enough, was also portrayed by a woman, which then begs the question: is it more acceptable for a woman to emulate a man than for a man to emulate a woman?

What was especially interesting about this issue had nothing to do with the story itself. The fan letters at the end of the book were all focused on Black Canary’s role as a female superhero. Each letter, at one point or another either praised DC for diversifying its heroes and giving more women their own books or lambasted DC for its ham-fisted representation of a woman. Also, one letter called Black Canary a “Rambitch.” I’m not sure what that is but the responding letter from DC told me I should be offended. It should also be noted that every single letter was written by a man.

Furthermore, many of them commented on how great it is that more female characters are getting noticed and their time in the sun by DC. This sounded vaguely familiar to me, and then I remembered that I have read the same sort of comments on multiple comic book blogs and articles. Seriously, this comic is 18 years old, and we still haven’t gotten over our own congratulatory amazement that female comic book characters can be taken seriously and also just be plain awesome.

It seems that no matter what, we just can’t move on from the mere fact that female comic book characters EXIST.

“How can you read something so sexist?”

My mom posed this accusatory question to me after she overheard me describe the title and plot of today’s comic book to a friend.